


Strange Bedfellows

by Madtom_Publius



Series: Valley Forge [1]
Category: 18th & 19th Century CE RPF, 18th Century CE RPF, American Revolution RPF
Genre: First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-29 03:41:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6357517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madtom_Publius/pseuds/Madtom_Publius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Laurens joins Washington's staff, tries to find a place to sleep, and makes a new friend in the process.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Laurens was not looking forward to the desk job this unfortunately promised to be. He was flattered, honored, privileged to have been chosen by General Washington as an aide, but it seemed he was getting farther away from the heart of the war than he wanted. It was certainly preferable to any of the positions his father had been urging, but moving out of the danger felt almost cowardly. He felt that way in so many other aspects of his life, he’d thought he’d found the one place where he could be brave… His fellow aides all seemed good sorts, and he was confident that in this new family he would not be slow to find friends. Not being lonely was a most uplifting prospect, for London had been… well, so much of what had happened there would be best forgotten if only that were possible. But he had read so often about the intense bond that formed between brother officers that he could not help but look forward to his share of it with a healthy dose of romance. In whom would he find such a companion? Perhaps the others had already forged their affections and his late arrival among them would make him an outsider…

He sat lost in endless questions on a thin cot in the aides’ quarters fiddling with a button. His musings were interrupted by a brash voice, startling him back to reality. “That’s my bed you’re sitting on.” Looking up, Laurens saw a slight young man enter the cramped room. He started to get up, but was motioned to sit. The other man waved away his attempt at an apology dismissively. “It’s two to a bed here, so we’ll share. Unless you’d rather bunk with one of the others, though I will warn you, Harrison is prone to taking up the whole cot. And he snores.” He punctuated this point by leaning against the wall, regarding the newcomer with curious levity.

“Thank you,” Laurens said, wondering if perhaps this was to be his new friend. “I don’t snore, in case you were wondering. At least I don’t think I do.” He’d heard and had some little experience so far with the phrase ‘war makes strange bedfellows,’ but he had just agreed to an arrangement that for all he knew would be permanent with someone whose name he didn’t even know. “I’m sorry, I’m sure I was introduced to you this morning, but I seem to have—“

“You weren’t. I was being held hostage by the most tedious dispatches I have ever had the misfortune of translating.” Affecting a caricature of a courtly bow, the boyish Colonel introduced himself. “Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, at your service. Most here call me Hammy, but I would thank you not to become a practitioner of that ridiculous habit.”

Laurens moved over on the cot to make room for his new acquaintance to sit down. Chuckling at the peculiarity of the introduction, he asked, “What shall I call you, then?”

Hamilton sat, and for some reason his proximity felt strange to John. Maybe it was because he knew in a few hours he would be sharing a bed barely big enough for one with him. “Hamilton will do fine for now,” he said. He peered searchingly at his new bunkmate, leaning closer to get a better look at him. The erect, military frame, the open countenance, and the unassuming smile all indicated that he should like this man very well, and there was something about his person which was compelling in an odd way. Laurens appraised the man sitting next to him, slightly discomfited by his steady stare. He was smaller than almost seemed right in an army… delicate, more pretty than handsome, his strawberries-and-cream complexion clashing with the strong nose and discerning brow; there was a confidence and warmth emanating from his person which promised a passionate nature… but that was not a path he would allow his thoughts to go down, especially now he was married. It was his artist’s eye, nothing more. Finally, Hamilton spoke, though he still kept his gaze trained on the new aide. “It’s Colonel Laurens, right? I read the reports on you your superiors in the northern army sent us.”

John cleared his throat nervously. “Oh. Well, I hope I can live up to whatever it was they put in those.” Truthfully, he’d never really been comfortable accepting praise. It never felt deserved.

Hamilton grinned and shook his head. “Well, I must say I am delighted to have one who shows such a talent for logistics join our family. If only we'd had someone like you at New York things would have gone much differently.”

It was somewhat awkward having his own actions praised when he didn’t yet know enough of the other man’s actions to speak to them as well. Besides, he should be trying to find out more about what he could do here, and Hamilton was probably one of the best people to ask. “What were the dispatches you were translating?”

The answering groan was more dramatic than paperwork probably warranted. “Our French friends must be kept informed of our activities, so every bloody line we write must be copied into French, and for some reason which I cannot fathom, the unenviable task almost invariably falls to me.”

There must be a good reason for that, Laurens thought. General Washington didn't seem the arbitrary type. Hamilton's reaction seemed a touch dramatic, but he could understand the frustration of being chained to a desk. “Are you a native speaker, then?”

Hamilton nodded,“My mother was French.”

“My whole family is, Hugenots. Perhaps I can help you with your dispatches.”

Hamilton’s grin grew wider and he clapped his new friend on the back warmly. “You know, I think we shall get along marvelously.” He rose to leave, turning just before he reached the door. “Oh, you should take the wall side. His Excellency likes to send for me in the middle of the night.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr by publius-esquire, edited for grammar and tweaked for content.

“Was it everything you’d hoped it would be?”

 

There was a light sarcasm entwined in Hamilton’s words, which Laurens could not help but laugh at. “It’s certainly what my father wanted it to be. Five hours straight at the table, correspondence after correspondence, with hardly a moment to relax. My hand feels terribly cramped.” John rubbed his knuckles, and the mere thought of picking up a quill the next day made him tired. He’d known secretary work would be repetitive, and truth be told a little dull, but it was no doubt important that his Excellency had competent writers at staff.

 

Alexander only smiled - it was a charming smile, John thought - and shook his head as he pulled out his nightshirt from the trunk at the end of their cot and placed it on the mattress before beginning to unbutton and remove his waistcoat. “We can only hope your hands will not be ruined by calluses.” He looked at Laurens warmly. “It would be such a shame for such talented ones as yours to be blemished in any way….”

 

John felt himself blush a little at that, although he didn’t know exactly why. But when he looked back up at Hamilton, his face burned even hotter as his fellow aide finished stripping off his shirt and breeches, exposing himself in his entirety without an ounce of shame. Laurens reflexively diverted his eyes at what he wanted to believe was the impropriety of such an action, as he had so many times before when he’d been caught staring at nude male figures from his art books; in the recesses of his mind, it told him to look away lest he be too tempted to gaze freely at such a fine, lithe figure as his friend. What would Alexander possibly think of him if he did that? Why did he have to make such innocent, if brazen, actions into something repulsive?

 

Once he pulled his nightshirt over his head, Alexander caught the redness in John’s cheeks as he looked away in embarrassment. It was almost endearing, the way the pink skin practically covered his whole face; he’d known some maidens he’d shared his bed with to blush less at his nakedness than Laurens was right now. Perhaps he should have shown more propriety, but still.

 

He crawled into the cot, scooting himself over closer to the wall and waited for his bunkmate to join him. John realized he hadn’t begun to get undressed yet, and now felt an anxiety with those violet eyes staring at him. He’d shared his bed with fellow soldiers before, had to undress in front of others in small barracks, but for some reason he now felt trapped. The thought of Alexander seeing him exposed both enticed and embarrassed him more than was proper.

 

Taking his night gown, he shuffled over to a dark corner of the room, keeping his back to his bedmate, and changed quickly, pulling his nightshirt down before taking off his breeches. When he turned around, he noticed Hamilton had turned to face the wall in sensitivity. He felt even more flustered. He knew he was being absurd, but still. 

 

Putting out the candle, he got into bed and pulled the thin blankets over them. It was still going to take some time to get used to the peculiarities of sleeping with his new friend. 

**Author's Note:**

> originally authored by Madtomedgar.
> 
> originally posted: http://madtomedgar.tumblr.com/post/78525180061/1000-word-fic-to-accompany-this-picture-by


End file.
